The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-03-11
The New Railroad

Work on the railroad, to be constructed
from Newburg to Kaylor station, has begun
in earnest near Westover and several tracts
of valuable lands have been purchased bv
parties who will at once deIve into the rich
strata Of the country as soon as transporta-
tiou is furnished. Westover property has
risen to fabulous price in consequence Of
this new enterprise Men who counted mp
their possessions by tens and hundreds few
weeks ago now reckon them by tens Of
thousands. OF course values will take
tumble some day but, in the meantime, the
elated Westoverites will enjoy the happy
delusIon to its full extent.
AtNewburg this branch will connect with
the CIea7ield & jefferson railroad, which is
an extension of the Bells Gap road from
IrvOua The CIearfeld q Jefferson will be
extended this summer from Mahatfey, It's
present terminus, to PunXsutawney 1t and
the Neutrality-suspicious. branch will thus co
operate together in developing the resources
of a comparatively large section of country,
well supplied With coal and lumber
The CIearfeld & Jefferson road has given
an impetus to trade and business along its
line. but the full value of the conntry has
first train passed over the route Ir7ona
/ will be the nucleus of unusual business act
tivity during the spring and summer and
Berwindale, four miles down the road, Is
rapidly assuming the appearance of a pros
porous village. It is the end of four-mile
( stage route extending to GaZzam, the terinl
nus of the Beech Greek road. Newburg
/ the next stopping place on the road. has re-
ceived a new infusion of life the last year,
/ but the the greatest transformation has
/ taken place at the junction Of Chest Creek
with the Susquehanna. where the few
/ scattered houses Of what was once known as
Franklin have lost their iSdenhtY In the
thriving new town of Mahaffey, named in
honor of It's sccessfuI umbermaR-RObert
Mahaffey. One of the substantial industries
/ of this place is a large, new tannery in active
operation.
The advantages of the Cambria county
route can only be roughly estimated at
present, but the convenience it will be to
people, in furnishing them ready transit to
and from points, now accessible only by the
slow-coach method, will Of Itself be great
gain, to say nothing of its value rs a stimuIa-
tor to business.
The very natural effect of projected line
of railroad is to give residents along the
route UtoDiar anticipati0ns of the immense
benefits they are going to reap from it, es-
peciaIIy if their houses and lands are located
near the probable site Of a town which 9
little stretch of the imagination widens intC
q city. No one would think of aUtributinl
TO any OF Cambria countys staid citizens
the weakness of losing his level-headednes
because a locomotive might perchance whis
tie in his back yard but when the Beecl
Creek road wound around ard up the hill
: from CIeaTfeld to Gazzam many stOli
r hearts beat quick and high as the star o
hope appeared and pointed out to them tn
f sites for great commercial centers. Thi
star proved in most instances to be wha
Scientists would term optical Illusions 70
here and there along the line are now th
] rude beginnings of great towns, to be, wit
' :heir llI-defned limits gradually fading froT
: the minds eye.
D Ebensburg, along with Lorettc. Carol
0 town and other points, will be benefited b
s this new route but ''sicknes, sOrTow, pai
n and death" will still continue to visit th
s people OF The region, even after tie iro
. horse has commenced his tours on the Dey
. route. On the whole, however, it will be
. great boon as well as boom to Cambri
c I county.